ACC, r1 preview: Re-jigged Stade Francais prepare for a different European challenge

The Amlin Challenge Cup - the Heineken Cup's little brother - kicks off tonight (Thursday) with two French sides vying to get off to winning starts.

The contrast between the two, however, could not be greater. First into action are Top 14 strugglers Bourgoin, who will be looking again to use the ACC as a springboard for improved league form. The second team are no less than fallen giants Stade Francais, the Parisian glamour club more used to strutting their stuff at Europe's top table.

Stade's presence is down to their woefully disappointing league form of last season and it appears that new head coach Michael Cheika will use the opportunity to field a mixed team of established stars and young prospects.

Thus, tonight's team sheet boasts established internationals such as Scottish full-back Hugo Southwell, French-South African centre Brian Liebenberg, Italian flanker Mauro Bergamasco, England lock Tom Palmer and veteran Argentine prop Rodrigo Roncero.

Alongside them, however, Stade will also give first team starts to youngsters Jules Plisson (19) at fly-half, Hugues Briatte (20) at No 8 and Arthur Jolly (22) at prop. There's also space on the bench for 20-year-old English lock Daniel Wright, established England flanker James Haskell and French winger Julien Arias as the two-time Heineken Cup finalists look to start off with an emphatic home win at Stade Charléty against Italian outfit Crociati.

Cheika may have taken this opportunity to rest the likes of Mathieu Bastareaud, Sergio Parisse, Julien Dupuy and Lionel Beauxis, but a European title - albeit the lesser of two - is still an attractive accomplishment to have on your CV. It is also, lest we forget, a way in to next season's Heineken Cup for the eventual winners, and that is something that Stade may yet be grateful for given the ever-increasing competition in Top 14.

Bourgoin, unlike Stade, are used to playing in the ACC, and indeed have pedigree in this competition. Last season they lost narrowly to Connacht in the quarter-finals, two seasons ago they were runners-up to Northampton Saints and they were the winners way back in 1997 Tonight's Pool 3 opener sees them travel to a Newcastle Falcons side seeking to bounce back from successive league defeats, but one which has also been re-jigged somewhat to give emerging youngsters precious first-team experience.

Eric Catinot's Bourgoin will certainly travel seeking to at least earn a defensive bonus, and to that end he has named a strong-looking side. Prop Olivier Milloud continues his comeback from injury with a starting slot as Bourgoin look to build on Saturday's 18-3 home win against Brive - a result which finally lifted the beleaguered club off the Top 14 basement.

Talking of Brive... the Limousin club will be keen to get that surprise 18-3 defeat out of their system as they take on Romanian side Petrarca Rugby at the Stade Amédée on Friday evening.

Ugo Mola's team have been up and down in Top 14 so far this season and the ACC definitely represents a viable path to success for a club which was put on alert this week by French financial watchdog DNACG.

The other French side in action on Friday are Top 14 basement dwellers SU Agen, who entertain Gloucester at the Stade Armandie in Pool 5. With Top 14 survival their avowed priority this season it is likely that Agen will field a much-changed starting XV as they seek to rest weary legs after a difficult start which has seen them win just once in nine league games.

Another team which will definitely be much-changed for ACC duty is Montpellier, the surprise package so far in Top 14 after winning six of their opening nine games. Fabien Galthié's side are currently fourth in the French league and the head coach signalled his intentions early when he didn't even register Francois Trinh-Duc or Fulgence Ouedraogo in his 38-man ACC squad.

The up-side to such blatant squad rotation is that it will give fringe players and youngsters the chance to impress Galthié in a match situation, something the former international will no doubt be reminding them of before kick-off in their Pool 3 away game at Aviva Premiership newcomers Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.

Top 14 strugglers La Rochelle are also in action on Saturday, but like Agen their away game as Rugby Rovigo presents a welcome break from league action, rather than a realistic path to ultimate glory.

Finally. early-season Top 14 leaders Bayonne play on Sunday afternoon as they host Harlequins in a big-name Pool 1 clash. Both of these sides will have genuine hopes of progressing to the knockout stages, although fellow Pool 1 side Connacht may have something to say about that too.